Greater New Orleans

River turbine testing site gets $150,000 grant

A proposed testing site for turbines that will be mounted from piers and barges in rivers to generate power has received a $150,000 grant from the Delta Regional Authority.

The head of Tulane University's RiverSphere project -- Douglas Meffert -- said Thursday that testing could begin this year on turbines designed to produce electricity through the flow of rivers. Meffert said there are hundreds of designs with potential commercial application -- but no independent testing facility yet.

The grant will allow RiverSphere to get $500,000 from a private endowment and will continue bringing in up to $3 million from the federal Economic Development Agency.

The testing facility, along with a laboratory, will be constructed on Port of New Orleans property along the Mississippi River.